Telenor Svalbard supplies the world's northernmost broadband access

Svalbard's broadband access is supplied in partnership with Norwegian Space Centre, which has been Telenor's partner in the rollout of two 1400-kilometre optical-fibre cables between Longyearbyen and Harstad. The two submarine cables, which are equipped with "infinite" capacity, will replace today's satellite-based mainland connection. As the fixed network connection was routed through the fibre-cable on Wednesday January 28, citizens of Longyearbyen were able to make their phone calls without any time delays or "one-way speech", which up till then had been the case via the satellite connection. The mobile phone connection was established one day later, allowing for GPRS making services like multi media messaging (MMS) available also at Svalbard.

The services offered are identical with Telenor's broadband services on the mainland, with Online ADSL serving residential customers, and ADSL Bedrift and SHDSL Bedrift serving the business market. A number of other services, such as home office solutions, wireless zones and domain names for companies with e-mail addresses have also been introduced.

 

"We are very proud to be able to supply this small, but exciting market with new and faster services," said Managing Director Vegard Gjerde of Telenor Svalbard. "We are convinced that this will be a positive contribution to the Svalbard community. Both citizens and businesses have high expectations to the new services, and we are already seeing a rush of people who are considering new business opportunities."

 

Longyearbyen currently has a population of 1750 citizens, approximately 900 households and some 80 businesses. The community is highly concentrated. Businesses as well as the University and research communities, public administration and households are all located within a two-kilometre radius from Telenor Svalbard's premises. This makes Longyearbyen a well-suited location for a Telenor "laboratory", that could be tasked with testing new technologies and services.

 

"The Svalbard broadband access shows that we are standing by our commitment to provide ADSL coverage to 90 per cent of all Norwegian households by 2006," said Executive Vice President Morten Karlsen Sørby, head of Telenor's activities in the Norwegian market.

 

 

For more information please contact:

Managing Director of Telenor Svalbard, Vegard Gjerde: Tel: (+47) 905 36 141